Gujarat University to set up Urdu centre

Ahmedabad, December 4: Gujarat University will set up an Urdu centre under the aegis of its Department of Urdu to promote teaching and other literary activities. It has also granted permission for post-graduate external degree course in Urdu and Arabic, said GU Vice-Chancellor A U Patel on Saturday.

Patel, who was presiding over a function at the University’s School of Languages to distribute certificates for the short-term Urdu language certificate course, stated that the University would provide all help to promote Urdu, which provided the basis for expression of finer sentiments in other languages also. He also lauded the department’s efforts of popularising the certificate course, third batch of which will start next week.

Speaking on the occasion, known Urdu literary critic Waris Alvi complimented the University and Head of Department Dr Chandbibi Shaikh for sincerely pursuing academic activities to keep the department alive. Noted Gujarati writer and columnist Dr Kumarpal Desai, who was the chief guest, said it was the strength of ideas that kept institutions going, which was the case with the Urdu department. He said this was the only department that had paid back to the university.

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